The Best of Terry Kimbrough: A Complete Guide to His Most Stunning Afghan Hound Bloodlines
Few names carry as much weight in the world of Afghan Hounds as Terry Kimbrough. For decades, his dedication to the breed has produced some of the most breathtaking, structurally sound, and temperamentally exceptional Afghan Hounds ever to grace a show ring or a loving home. Whether you are a seasoned exhibitor, a devoted breed enthusiast, or someone just beginning to explore the world of Afghan Hounds, understanding the legacy of Terry Kimbrough is essential to appreciating what this ancient and magnificent breed can truly become.
This guide dives deep into the best of Terry Kimbrough’s Afghans — his breeding philosophy, his most celebrated dogs, his contribution to the breed standard, and why his bloodlines continue to influence Afghan Hound breeders around the world today.
Who Is Terry Kimbrough?
Terry Kimbrough is one of the most respected and accomplished Afghan Hound breeders and handlers in American dog show history. Based in the United States, Kimbrough built his reputation over many years through a combination of careful breeding decisions, an expert eye for conformation, and a profound understanding of what makes the Afghan Hound not only beautiful but functionally correct.
Unlike breeders who chase trends or produce dogs purely for the show ring, Kimbrough has always maintained a clear vision: breed Afghans that embody the standard in its fullest sense. That means dogs with the proper ring of bone, the correct hip structure for powerful movement, the flowing and silky coat of the right texture, and above all, the proud and aloof expression that has defined the Afghan Hound for centuries.
His kennel has been a source of champions for multiple generations of dogs, and his influence extends far beyond the ribbons and trophies he has accumulated. Many of today’s top winning Afghan Hounds can trace their lineage directly back to dogs that came from or were influenced by Kimbrough’s program.
The Afghan Hound: A Breed Worth Celebrating
Before exploring Kimbrough’s specific contributions, it helps to understand why the Afghan Hound inspires such passion among breeders and fanciers in the first place.
The Afghan Hound is one of the oldest dog breeds in existence, believed to have originated in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, where it was used for hunting large prey over rugged terrain. The breed’s physical attributes — a long, lean body, powerful hindquarters, a distinctive hipbone structure that allows extraordinary flexibility, and a thick coat that provided protection from extreme temperatures — all developed in response to the demands of its environment.
When Afghan Hounds arrived in the West in the early twentieth century, they captivated dog fanciers immediately. Their exotic appearance, their graceful movement, and their mysterious, independent temperament set them apart from any other breed. They became a symbol of elegance and became beloved in the show world, eventually winning some of the most prestigious competitions in the country, including multiple Best in Show wins at Westminster.
Yet the Afghan Hound is not simply a glamorous showpiece. Behind the flowing coat and the regal carriage is a serious, athletic dog with a keen sighthound’s instinct and a spirit that demands respect. The best Afghan Hound breeders have always understood this dual nature, and it is at the heart of what Terry Kimbrough has worked to preserve.
Terry Kimbrough’s Breeding Philosophy
What sets Terry Kimbrough apart from many breeders is the consistency and intentionality of his approach. His program is not built around breeding the most famous sire to the most fashionable dam and hoping for the best. Instead, Kimbrough approaches each pairing with a clear understanding of what he is trying to achieve and what each dog contributes genetically and structurally.
Central to his philosophy is a deep respect for the breed standard. The Afghan Hound standard is one of the most detailed and specific in all of purebred dogs, describing not just the dog’s appearance but the attitude and bearing that define the breed’s character. Kimbrough has always taken that standard seriously, breeding dogs that meet it not just in the show ring but in motion and in everyday life.
He places enormous emphasis on movement. An Afghan Hound should move with a smooth, elastic, and powerful gait. The dog’s distinctive hip structure, which allows the hindquarters to swing far forward beneath the body, is a critical part of correct movement, and Kimbrough has consistently produced dogs whose rear movement is among the best in the breed. He understands that a beautiful head or a stunning coat means very little if the dog cannot move correctly, because correct movement reflects correct structure, and correct structure reflects a dog that is built the way nature and the standard intended.
Coat quality is another area where Kimbrough’s dogs have consistently excelled. The Afghan Hound’s coat should be long, fine, and silky — not coarse, not cottony, and not sparse. Maintaining correct coat texture while also breeding for structure and movement is a significant challenge, and it is one that Kimbrough has navigated with considerable skill over many years.
Perhaps most importantly, Kimbrough has always bred for type. In dog breeding, “type” refers to those qualities that make a dog unmistakably itself — in this case, unmistakably an Afghan Hound and not simply a large, long-haired dog with a ring tail. His dogs have always had the look: the long, refined head, the prominent hipbones, the proud tail carriage, the noble and slightly distant expression that gives the Afghan its unique mystique.
The Most Celebrated Dogs from Terry Kimbrough’s Program
Over the decades, a number of exceptional Afghan Hounds have emerged from or been strongly influenced by Terry Kimbrough’s program. These dogs have not only won in the show ring but have gone on to become influential producers, passing on their qualities to the next generation.
Champions That Defined an Era
Kimbrough’s champion Afghans have consistently earned recognition at the highest levels of competition. His dogs have competed successfully at the Afghan Hound Club of America national specialty, one of the most competitive and prestigious Afghan Hound events in the world. Specialty wins are considered by many fanciers to be more meaningful than all-breed show wins because the judging is done by breed specialists who understand the subtleties of type and structure that a generalist judge may miss.
His dogs have also performed well at the group level, earning placements in the Hound Group at some of the most competitive shows in the country. When an Afghan Hound from Kimbrough’s program walks into a Hound Group, other exhibitors take notice. There is a recognizable quality to his dogs — a combination of refinement, soundness, and presence — that is immediately apparent.
Influential Producers
Beyond individual show careers, the true measure of a breeder’s success lies in the dogs they produce. Some of the most influential Afghan Hound sires and dams of recent decades have come from Kimbrough’s lines or carry his breeding behind them. His dogs have been used by breeders across the country and internationally, and their influence can be seen in winning Afghans from coast to coast.
This is perhaps the most significant part of his legacy. A champion can win a hundred shows, but if that dog does not pass on its qualities to its offspring, the contribution to the breed is limited. Kimbrough’s producers have consistently reproduced the best qualities of their parents and grandparents, demonstrating that his breeding program is built on a solid genetic foundation rather than luck or individual outstanding individuals.
The Impact of Terry Kimbrough on the Afghan Hound Community
Terry Kimbrough’s influence extends beyond the dogs he has bred and the shows he has won. He has been an important voice in the Afghan Hound community for many years, contributing to the broader conversation about breed type, breeding practices, and the direction of the breed.
Mentorship and Education
One of the most important things a great breeder can do is share their knowledge with the next generation of enthusiasts. Kimbrough has been known for his willingness to educate newcomers to the breed, helping them understand not just the basics of grooming and showing but the deeper principles of what makes a great Afghan Hound. Many of today’s successful Afghan Hound breeders and exhibitors credit conversations with Kimbrough as pivotal moments in their education.
This kind of mentorship is invaluable in a breed fancy that is constantly changing. As older fanciers retire and newer enthusiasts enter the sport, the transmission of accumulated knowledge becomes critical to the health of the breed. Breeders like Kimbrough who are willing to pass on what they know play an essential role in ensuring that the best practices and highest standards of the past are carried forward rather than forgotten.
Judging and Evaluation
Kimbrough’s expertise has also been recognized through judging assignments, where he has been called upon to evaluate Afghan Hounds at important shows and specialties. Judging is one of the most demanding and intellectually rigorous aspects of the dog show world. A good judge must be able to evaluate dozens of dogs quickly and accurately, identifying the best examples of the breed based on a thorough understanding of the standard and a trained eye for quality.
When Kimbrough judges, exhibitors know they are being evaluated by someone who has spent a lifetime studying the breed from the inside out — not as an outside observer but as someone who has bred, raised, conditioned, and shown Afghan Hounds at the highest level. His assessments are taken seriously because they come from a place of genuine expertise and commitment to the breed.
What Makes a Terry Kimbrough Afghan Hound Special?
If you were to stand ringside at a major show and watch a group of Afghan Hounds competing, you would be seeing dogs from many different breeders and bloodlines. Some might catch your eye for their coat, others for their head, others for their movement. But a Kimbrough Afghan tends to catch your eye for everything at once — it is the completeness of the picture that distinguishes his dogs.
The balance between head and body is correct. The coat falls correctly and has the right texture. The movement is free and effortless, with the hindquarters doing what they are supposed to do and the topline remaining level and steady. And there is an expression — proud, self-possessed, slightly aloof — that signals this is not just a beautiful dog but an Afghan Hound in the truest sense of the term.
That combination of qualities does not happen by accident. It is the result of decades of thoughtful breeding decisions, a willingness to be honest about faults and work to correct them, and an uncompromising commitment to the breed standard as the ultimate measure of quality.
The Enduring Legacy of Terry Kimbrough’s Afghans
As the Afghan Hound fancy looks to the future, the question of preserving and building on the best bloodlines of the past is more important than ever. The Afghan Hound is not as numerically common as many other breeds, and the pool of breeders who are truly committed to maintaining correct type and structure is relatively small. In that context, the contributions of breeders like Terry Kimbrough become even more significant.
His bloodlines represent a living repository of the best qualities that generations of dedicated breeders have worked to achieve. They are not a museum piece or a historical artifact — they are active, vital, and continuing to influence the breed through the dogs they produce today.
For anyone serious about Afghan Hounds, whether as a breeder, a fancier, or someone who simply loves the breed and wants to understand it better, studying the best of Terry Kimbrough’s Afghans is an education in itself. It is a chance to see what the breed looks like when it is at its best — when the standard comes to life in a real dog with four paws on the ground and the wind in its coat.
How to Learn More About Terry Kimbrough’s Afghan Hounds
If you are interested in learning more about Terry Kimbrough’s program, there are several avenues available to you. The Afghan Hound Club of America maintains records of specialty winners and national competition results, and browsing through those records will give you a clear picture of how Kimbrough’s dogs have performed over the years.
Dog show databases such as the American Kennel Club’s records and various online pedigree tools allow you to research the pedigrees of champion Afghan Hounds and trace the influence of specific bloodlines over time. Following Afghan Hound specialty shows and keeping an eye on the winners is another excellent way to see which bloodlines are currently producing quality dogs and how Kimbrough’s influence continues to be felt.
Speaking to experienced Afghan Hound fanciers and breeders is perhaps the most valuable resource of all. The Afghan Hound community, while relatively small, is passionate and knowledgeable, and most experienced fanciers are happy to discuss breed history, bloodlines, and the contributions of great breeders like Terry Kimbrough.
Conclusion: A Lasting Contribution to a Great Breed
Terry Kimbrough’s contribution to the Afghan Hound is one that will be felt for generations to come. Through his breeding program, his mentorship, his judging, and his uncompromising commitment to breed type and quality, he has helped ensure that the Afghan Hound remains the magnificent, correct, and breathtaking breed it has always been.
The best of Terry Kimbrough’s Afghans represent something rare in any area of endeavor: a vision pursued with consistency and skill over a long period of time, resulting in something truly excellent. For lovers of the Afghan Hound, his dogs are a source of inspiration and a reminder of what is possible when dedication meets knowledge and passion meets craft.
Whether you are new to Afghan Hounds or have loved the breed your entire life, exploring the legacy of Terry Kimbrough is time well spent. His Afghans are among the finest the breed has ever produced, and understanding why helps you see this extraordinary breed through fresh and appreciative eyes.
